


The Cold Apple Pie

by Leshaya



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Translation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:35:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27069490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leshaya/pseuds/Leshaya
Summary: “Tony, are you okay?""No, but I’ll still have dinner."Steve is an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.; Tony is a genius, billionaire, philanthropist.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 4
Kudos: 58





	The Cold Apple Pie

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Short Silly Stories](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24452932) by [Visenna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Visenna/pseuds/Visenna). 



> Many thanks to my patient beta [kowaiyoukai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kowaiyoukai)!

The newspaper headlines cried ‘Genius, Billionaire, Philanthropist, ESTRANGED HUSBAND!’, ‘Tony Stark Has a Heart, and It’s Broken!’, ‘Biggest Divorce of the Year!’. Tony squinted and gestured to JARVIS to close the window with selected articles. He had a headache and something felt like sand in his eyes, which added to his feeling that the upcoming interview was invented by some evil force specifically to torture him. But everyone knows that Stark men are made of iron, so he’d cope because he had no choice.

Meghan McCain met him with a smile a couple degrees warmer than the official grin of a popular talk show presenter.

“Hello, Tony. Nice to have you here with us. Your recent life has become not that happy. Can you say why you agreed to talk about it?”

“Hi, Meghan. You know, my silence will only result in wild rumors and fantasies, and I don’t want that.”

Meghan nodded and said, addressing the public, “So, today’s topic is infidelity and divorce. Who could guess that famous playboy Tony Stark would come here as an injured party? For how long have you been married, Tony? Five years?”

“Almost six. It would have been six years next week.” Tony sat back in his chair, trying to look relaxed. “But 'almost' doesn’t count, does it?”

“Photos of your husband Steve Rogers in compromising positions made headlines last week. He was pictured during what appeared to be a date with an unknown blonde woman. There was cake, champagne, and kissing. Was it unexpected for you?"

Screens lit and showed those photos. Tony knew that blonde woman: it was Steve's colleague, Sharon Carter. He closed his eyes.

"No, Meghan. Once, at the beginning of us living together, Steve hid something important from me. He thought he would protect me from pain and disappointment, but it all turned out for the worst. I won't get into details, but at that moment we agreed we'd tell each other everything, whether it’s good or bad. Nevertheless, it wasn't easy for us."

"Tony, did you anticipate this turn of events? Were there any signs or clues suggesting something went wrong in your relationship?"

Meghan looked at him with sympathy. It was faked, for sure, but Tony didn't mind. He just had to keep a straight face. Many years' experience helped him pass his painful spasm off as a wry smile.

"I was often told that I'm emotionally deaf and I can't distinguish clues, nuances, and other subtle matters. If you don't tell me right in my ear, I won't hear anything. Maybe it's true because I hadn't seen any signs until Steve decided to speak with me."

"Are you going to get a divorce? Will Tony Stark return to the status of Most Wanted Bachelor?"

"I'm not ready to speak about my divorce, Meghan. And to be honest, I don't think I would want to marry ever again. I'm going to move to Malibu for some time. They say that a change of scene distracts you from bitter thoughts."

***

His home was dark and silent, and the bedroom was cold. Steve was freezing constantly despite him being warm as a stove; now no one needed any more heating here. Tony pulled off his Tom Ford jacket and unbuttoned his vest. He had to survive today, somehow. And tomorrow. And the day after tomorrow. California could wait for him. In the end, the New York branch of SI desperately needed new ideas. He needed to prioritize that.

On the sixth day after that disastrous interview, Tony came back home and smelled the instantly recognizable scent of apple pie. A crisp white tablecloth laid on the table beside the floor-to-ceiling window of the penthouse, and a wine bottle was cooling in an iced silver bucket between two lighted candles. Steve was standing with his back to Tony and dishing out something resembling fettuccine with salmon. He looked so beautiful in his plain white t-shirt, pants, and funny apron that Tony's breath hitched and eyes burned. 

Tony leaned against the doorpost and watched Steve shaking his thighs and singing something under his breath.

"Our anniversary is tomorrow," Tony said quietly.

Steve turned to him and flashed a smile. "Tomorrow we are going to a Korean restaurant to eat impossibly spicy food with unpronounceable names. And today... Tony, are you okay?"

"No, but I’ll still have dinner," Tony muttered.

In the next second, strong steady hands were hugging him and worried blue eyes were looking right inside of him.

"What happened, dear?"

"I imagined for a second that it's all real. That you really left me and I have to live without you somehow. And I... I don't know how to do it." He nuzzled between Steve's neck and shoulder, enjoying familiar warmth.

"I'd never do it," Steve said. "I won't leave you, Tony, I swear."

"You've already said that fifty or so times."

"And I'll repeat it as many times as you need. You know we had to do it. And it worked. Ten Rings dutifully came to your Malibu house..."

"To our house," Tony interrupted him.

"To our house," Steve agreed and kissed him on the forehead. "Happy served up wonderful bait, we caught them all, so now S.H.I.E.L.D. will find Mandarin and you'll stop getting those stupid threatening letters."

"If someone notices us in the restaurant, newspapers will go mad again."

"As if this is something new for us. Let's have dinner?"

"You baked an apple pie for me." Tony lifted his head at last and kissed his husband for real. "May I have the dessert first? Last week was difficult."

They finally got to the apple pie the following morning, but even cold it was delicious.


End file.
